Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Blue Ribbon Twirl Skirt (Giveaway)!

Last year, we attended the Maryland State Fair for the first time. We had only been in town a few weeks, so it was really great to go and learn about all the animals, vegetables, and fruits that are grown right here in the state. What I found most exciting was the Home Arts building, which was full of cakes, photography, woodworking and SEWING! This year, I decided to get in on the fun and it was an absolute blast! I met some really great people, got very useful feedback on my sewing, and won some ribbons!!! The creation I am most proud of is this blue-ribbon winning Embellished Patchwork Skirt, and I'm giving it away to one lucky reader!

Now, I haven't gotten a ribbon for anything since 11th grade Science Fair (and I think that was 4th place), so my hopes weren't too high going into the competition. I'm happy to say I got ribbons on everything I entered, and I got a special award for Best Applique (pics to come)!

I would highly recommend participating in your own State Fair. It is so nice to be a part of such a wonderful tradition and have your work displayed among other fantastic creations. And I'm not sure how it works in other states, but here in MD there is prize money involved - woo-hoo! My winnings were more than enough to cover a day full of rides, games, and yummy junk food!

OK, so here is more info on the Twirl Skirt that is up for grabs...it is made entirely from wonderful Sis Boom fabrics (no two patches are alike)! I used my Embellished Patchwork Twirl Skirt eBook and included all of the trimmings - rick rack, euro ruffles, and inset ruffles.

I was inspired by a skirt that my friend Mindy made for her adorable little daughter. You can see her creation here in our Flickr group. This skirt is 13" long, and would best fit sizes 2-6 (I'll adjust the waistband elastic to the winner's specifications).

So how do you win this for your little twirler? Easy...just leave me a comment with an interesting fact about your home state. I'll pick a number at random for the skirt giveaway. In the spirit of the state fair, I'm going to throw a little friendly competition into the mix. The posters of the top 3 most amusing comments (as judged by me, myself, and I) will each win a copy of the Embellished Patchwork Twirl Skirt eBook. The winners will be announced on 9/15.

106 comments:

Here's an interesting fact I just found about where I live (Ft. Meade, MD):

Fort Meade near Laurel became a base because a train engineer delivering soldiers to Meade knew only one Meade, the one in Maryland. He was not aware of Fort Meade, Florida. The confusion happened so often a second base was built in Maryland in an attempt to avoid the confusion.

The state sport of Maryland is jousting, a competition between two armored contestants mounted on horses in which each tries to strike the other with a lance. The sport has been enjoyed in Maryland for 300 years.

America's first umbrellas were produced in Baltimore, beginning in 1828.

Iowa - We grow a LOT of corn here!!! Not just corn, but a lot of soybeans too. Also, the prize for the biggest pumpking at the Iowa state fair this year was over 1000#! I can't imagine a pumpkin so big!!!

Thanks for the challenge. I found out all kinds of interesting facts about Louisiana. Here are some that I found:Louisiana has the tallest state Capitol in the nation at 450 feet.

The term "Uncle Sam" originated on the wharfs of New Orleans before Louisiana became a U.S. territory. Even then, New Orleans was a major docking port, and the goods that came through the New Orleans docks and labeled U.S. were referred to as "Uncle Sam."

And I found this funny law that is surprisingly still on the books: Biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple assault," while biting someone with your false teeth is "aggravated assault."

Carla, it is beautiful! We went to the MD state fair to but Mark would not let me browse "the boring stuff" He can be such a spoil sport! Doesn't he know by now that I need to feed my sewing addiction by ooohhh and ahhh over others and now that man made me miss seeing this in person!!!!! HE IS IN BIG TROUBLE!!

Pennsylvania - Keystone State - During colonial times Pennsylvania was the middle colony of the original 13 colonies. It held the colonies together like the "keystone" in a window or door arch.

The Iowa State Fair attracts one million visitors each year, mostly because you can get anything and everything to eat fried on a stick, including pineapple, cheese, oreos, snickers, pork chops...this year the big hit was chocolate covered bacon (I didn't try it).

My favorite saying about Baltimore, MD where I grew up, goes back to before the Ravens came along when baseball and the Orioles were the sport of choice :) The saying went "Baltimore is a drinking city with a baseball problem" ;)

I live in the great state of Oklahoma. My town holds the record for the strongest tornado on record. On May 3, 1999 we had an F5 tornado destroy part of our town. If there had been an F6 designation then it would have been and F6. We had record breaking 250mph winds with the tornado.

New Jersey-Well what can you say about NJ, yes we have corrupt politicians, yes we have mobsters and lots of crime, but we also have beautiful beaches and rolling farmland. Did you know that the NJ State Dinosaur is the Hadrosaurus foulkii (duck billed dinosaur), who would even think that we have a state dinosaur,but we do, so that must mean we are extra cool. We also have the world's largest collection of spoons, how awesome is that !! And last but certainly not least, we are the Diner Capital of the World !! Not just of the US but of the world !! Beat That !!

*gasp* Too gorgeous! Congrats! Very well deserved, I must say!So, I'm from Utah and something kind of strange is our state bird. It's a California Gull. What. We couldn't use one of our own birds? We had to take one from California? Explains their attitudes. :)

Hey, neat! I've been lurking on your blog for a couple months now, and I never realized that you lived in Maryland! I'm currently in MD, too, although it looks like we'll be relocating next month. Lovin this contest, though, because I have a daughter who is totally into skirts right now, AND she wears a size 6. :) Congrats on your prizes, by the way, SO fun!!

So, I'll give you some fun facts about Washington state, where I grew up. In elementary school, *everyone* learned songs about digging up geoducks... pronounced "gooey ducks". Now, they're not ducks of course, but really ugly saltwater clam things that dig deep in the shorelines... you have to muck around to dig them up at low tide. But really, they're ugly. They have long "necks" that look more like an alien parasite. And to think I used to gleefully sing songs about digging them up.

The other strange thing is that one of the required sports in gym class was "pickleball". I'm not making that name up, either. It's a sport that was invented in Washington in 1965. You play it on a badminton court, but with a low net like tennis, and a wiffle ball and paddle.

No matter where I go, I always get strange looks from people if I dare say things like geoduck and pickleball out loud.

The world's first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1935.

I love the state fair. Growing up it was called the Great State Fair of Oklahoma, and I remember getting coloring books about it at school. In 2001, the name changed to Oklahoma State Fair, and doesn't have the same theme song it used to.

My husband and I celebrated our first year of dating there when we were juniors in high school. This year at 29 we will celebrate 7 years of marriage. The fair always reminds me of that first 1 year anniversary.

Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to have either prize. Maybe one day I will enter something in the fair.

Congrats on your winnings! I'm sure everything was just as beautiful as the skirt! Looking forward to more pics!

Currently live in Oregon, where there is a city named Sisters and another called Brothers, it is illegal to use canned corn as fish bait (seriously), the hazelnut is the official state nut, Oregon is the only state that has an official state nut, Ok, that one explains a lot. tee hee! Lastly, you can drive to the coast and visit Haystack Rock, where the movie "The Goonies" was filmed and where you can see some huge starfish at low tide, also the home (Haystack Rock that is) to the endangered bird the Puffin, which is also the name of my favorite cereal! So, ok, this was over kill but I had a hard time choosing one fact!

Illinois - Presidents Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, & Obama have all called it home.Other famous inhabitants: John Belushi, Billy Graham, John Deere, Carl Sandburg, the tallest man in the world, Walt Disney, Oprah and Superman (there really is a Metropolis in southern IL).State snack food: popcornState dance: square dancingThe very first Dairy Queen was opened here in 1940, McDonald's in 1955.And every St. Patrick's Day they dye the Chicago River green (by dumping in LARGE amounts of orange dye!)

Owwwwww I love that skirt! Well, I guess you could say I am a Georgia peach....since that is the state we currently reside in (and have for the past 18 years), but somehow I think of Florida as 'home' even though we have never actually lived there!

Here in GA we have two types of weather. It comes in hot and muggy, and hot and hotter! We have two distinct seasons. Summer (where we have the hot and muggy, and the hot and hotter) and winter (which lasts about 3 weeks) On those rare occasions that we have snow...it is an open invitation to either run off the road or into another car! We call it 'flake watch'! If they mention the 'S' word in a forecast...watch out! Oh yeah, don't stand too close to a grocery store. There is a run on milk and bread...I'm not sure what you are supposed to do with the milk and bread if it snows...but I uphold my part of the great southern tradition!

Canada is the home of many great inventions, including: basketball, the electric light bulb, the electric range, the electron microscope, standard time, the television, the telephone, and the zipper.Vancouver is home of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.Carla, that skirt is gorgeous! Congratulations on your ribbons! They are well-deserved!!!

I hail from Washington state. We are known for our apples and salmon. However, we are the world's biggest producer of lentils. Small but mighty veggies and good for you. Love the skirt...would love to win it. Thanks for a chance.

Congrats on your ribbons. I have a 6 yr old who is involved with 4-H. This past year was her first time entering projects in our local fair. She won a blue ribbon and was ecstatic (so was Mom!!). And thanks to patterns like yours, I have picked up sewing again and my daughter is starting to become interested in sewing. Maybe one day she will enter a Carla C creation and win!!

We are from Missouri and used to live in a small town know for its annual Testicle Festival!! Really....can you say "Redneck"!!

I love this skirt and I know my 5 year old daughter would love it even more. Our family just visited our state fair yesterday and you are right, a great family outing. The motto for the State of California is "eureka (I have found it.)

Alabama laws:Alabama• A 1950 anti-obscenity law in Irondale, Ala., prohibited any showing of anyone nude or "in a substantially nude state" except a babe in arms.• Anniston: You may not wear blue jeans down Noble Street.• An ordinance in Linden, Ala., provided that all women of "uncertain chastity" had to be off the streets by 9 p.m.• Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.• Boogers may not be flicked into the wind.• Children of incestuous couples are deemed legitimate.• Dominoes may not be played on Sunday.• Hunting is not allowed on Sunday.• Incestuous marriages are legal.• It is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle.• It is illegal to impersonate a person of the clergy.• It is illegal to maim oneself to escape duty.• It is illegal to stab yourself to gain someone's pity.• It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.• It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile.• It is legal to drive the wrong way on a one way street if you have a lantern on the front of your car.• It is unlawful to wear women's pumps with sharp, high heels.• It's against the law for a man to seduce "a chaste woman by means of temptation, deception, arts, flattery or a promise of marriage."• It's illegal to play dominoes on Sunday.• Jasper: It is illegal for a husband to beat his wife with a stick larger in diameter than his thumb.• Lee County: It is illegal to sell peanuts in Lee County after sundown on Wednesday.• Masks may not be worn in public• Men may not spit in front of the opposite sex.• Mobile: It is unlawful to howl at ladies inside the city limits. It is unlawful to wear women's pumps with sharp, high heels.• Montgomery: It is considered an offense to open an umbrella on a street, for fear of it spooking horses.• No persons may sell "blow-out nuts".• Peanuts are not allowed to be sold in Lee County, Alabama after sunset on Wednesdays.• Pool halls may not be operated between 11:30 PM and 6 AM.• Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death.• Slavery is still legal in Decatur, Alabama.• The game of crackaloo is illegal in Fairfield, Ala.• Women are able to retain all property they owned prior to marriage in the case of divorce. However, this provision does not apply to men.• Women are able to retain all property they owned prior to marriage in the case of divorce. However, this provision does not apply to men.• You cannot chain your alligator to a fire hydrant.• You may not drive barefooted.• You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.• You must have windshield wipers on your car.

Alaska• A law in Fairbanks does not allow moose to have sex on city streets.• Even though it is legal to hunt a bear, it is illegal to wake a bear and take a picture for photo opportunities.• Fairbanks: It is considered an offense to feed alcoholic beverages to a moose.• In Alaska it is illegal to whisper in someone's ear while they are moose hunting.• It is considered an offense to push a live moose out of a moving airplane.• Kangaroos are not allowed in barber shops at any time.• Moose may not be viewed from an airplane.• State policy states that emergencies are held to a minimum and rarely found to exist.• While it is legal to shoot bears, waking a sleeping bear for the purpose of taking a photograph is prohibited.

Betsy Ross made the first American flag in Philadelphia. I had to include a sewing fact!

Located in the Grape Coast region of Pennsylvania the city of North East has four thriving wineries and is home to the largest Welch's grape processing plant in the country. This is close to where I live and you can smell the grapes for miles when they are ready to be picked!

Australia, a land down under where the British sent all their unwanted left overs to, full of oddly shaped furry animals, people who spell funny and inventors of a salty black sandwich spread which the rest of the world thinks is disgusting ;)

Alabama - Today, approximately 750 people, mostly descendants of enslaved African Americans, live in the community Gee’s Bend on the banks of the Alabama River. Gee's Bend has demonstrated a persistent cultural wealth in the vibrant folk art of its quilt makers, whose work has gained national attention and critical acclaim.

thanks for a chance at that skirt, it is fantastic blue ribbon at its best!

Indiana is the Hoosier state..and my dad always told me that during prohibition if people were drinking in their homes, they would call out "who's there" before opening a door and that is how we got the nickname!!

Hm.... not sure if you think this is interesting, but where I live in CA, you are within 4 hours drive time of the Pacific Ocean, Lake Tahoe, the desert in Nevada, and the Redwood Forest. Just perfect!

Congrats on your ribbons!! Your skirt is beautiful! I have never entered our state fair, but I won 19 ribbons for sewing. I just LOVEEEEEEE those ribbons!

I grew up in North Dakota...while I'm not sure if it is still a law (it was while I was putting myself thru college as a waitress)... when polls were open for elections bars were always closed - so voters would surely have a clear head! I grew up in the least populous county (Slope)where the county seat has a population of 29 (Amidon)... there is only 640K people in the whole state! Life in the VAST lane!

I absolutely looovvvee that skirt & have 3 girls how would equally love to twirl in it! Saw the link on the Sis Boom site of Jennifer P.

Hmmm, as for an interesting state fact...my hubby thinks that MI has the most festivals. I know we have the biggest Tulip Festival in Holland where the street are scrubbed & washed by locals in Dutch outfits (my girls & one boy included). The tulips are really fantastic!

Well that is gorgeous, My state is in Australia, called South Australia - and is the dryest state in the dryest continent, also another fact you may know Anthony LaPaglia from 'Without a Trace' was born here....about 15 mins away....also we are the most beautiful place in the world... to me anyhow.Hugs and Blessings and I would love to be in the draw.

I live in Oklahoma. You might not know this, but the Sooner State actually has an official meal. Whether it's popular or not I have no idea, but the State Legislature gave legal status to the dish in 1988. So here goes: Fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken-fried steak, pecan pie and black-eyed peas. I have no idea in what order one should eat this meal, but it certainly sounds like a lot of food. One reason the meal is so big is that Oklahoma grows/raises all of the items on the menu.

I am so inspired by your ribbons and post that I am planning to enter next year, to our county & State fair! Even better, is that my 10 yr. old twins saw your post and are planning to enter the projects they are working on as well. I think it's awesome to be such a great mentor!

I, too, live in Maryland. (one reason you should pick me) Did you know that America's first umbrellas were produced in Baltimore, beginning in 1828? This skirt, the way it sits on the grass, reminds me of an umbrella! Ok, so another reason I should win this most amazing skirt that I have ever seen in my life for a little girl is because I buy most of your patterns. I started a few months ago with the Sophie tunic, and was just amazed how simple you made sewing. I then moved on to several of your other pattens. You truly are, no doubt, the BEST at what you do. You make everything I make look perfect and so easy!!! I only want to sew using your patterns. There is no other pattern maker that explains like you. What talent!!! Another reason to pick me, is my daughter loves skirts, you wouldn't need to fix the size, the fabric matches her bedding in her room AND I love Jennifer P's fabrics as much as you! Thanks so much for the opportunity! A huge Fan!! Marnie

Louisiana is probably the only state where you will find people that get so excited and even salivate over eating the yummy red, clawed, curled tailed bugs! CRAWFISH!! Yum! You're missing out if you've never tried them! :)

I would love to win your giveaway! The skirt is BEAUTIFUL & I just love Sis Boom fabrics!

Doubt my fact is too interesting to most, but since it's back to school time and it's what I'm thinking of:New Jersey requires the most vaccinations of any state. (And quite a few pharmaceutical companies are based here....hmmm....)

hi carla!! that skirt deserves a blue ribbon!! really awesome! florida is no stranger to ladies in skirts..back in the 1800's you can imagine wearing those really long skirts in the heat and humidity with the mosquitos going crazy!! no air conditioning and no swimming pools, guess how those smart ladies kept the bugs at bag?? they had their husbands smoke their cuban cigars at the doors and used palm fronds to wave away unwanted critters!! women are so resourceful and this skirt shows what can be done with leftover fabrics, just beautiful!!

Hello!! Love the skirt. I live in Indiana. Some interesting facts - - Santa Claus IN will postmark christmas cards and letters from santa with the "offical" north pole post mark- 90% of the world's popcorn is grown in Indiana- Angel Mounds is one of the best preserved Native American sites in the U.S.- St Meinrad Archabbey is only one of 2 archabbey's in the U.S. and one of 7 in the world- Lincoln's mother is buried in Indiana - Stream Cliff Herb Farm Gardens are planted in quilt designs!- There are several round barns still existing in Indiana- There are 90 covered bridges in Indiana, often referred to as "kissing bridges" because a man could kiss his girlfriend when their wagon passed across the bridge! Park Co has a covered bridge festival every year, with a huge flea market! It is awesome!!- One of my personal favorites - Scott Rolen baseball player for the Reds was born and raised in Indiana. He went to school in my hometown and my brother played baseball with him on the high school team!!

California is bigger than eighty-five of the smallest nations in the world.

Mount Shasta, at 14,162 feet, (4248 m) is the tallest volcano in California and the second highest in America.

Death Valley is known as the hottest, driest place in the United States where temperatures consistently reach over 120 F (49 C) during summer months.

The California redwood is a prehistoric tree. All trees are descended from the redwood. The coastal climate along the Pacific Ocean protected them from the great ice sheets that covered much of North America during previous ice ages.

IL - The great Land of Lincoln, not only boasts the city (Chicago) with the most revolving doors in the country, but we are also the longest suffering sad story home of the Chicago Cubs - that should get me a sympathy vote, at least.

Very beautiful and I bet it's because you're so scientific! You deserve all the ribbons, sounds like a blast. Julie loves the skirt (doesn't know it would really be for Jasmine who will be 3 soon)! So I guess I'll order your pattern and help Julie make her own :)

Since I'm from New Jersey...you may know that Einstein lived at 112 Mercer St. in Princeton from 1935 until his death in 1955. You may not know that he painted his front door red so he could find his way home. Now that’s genius… what color is your front door?

An interesting fact about my state is that we are the infamous RIO GRANDE VALLEY of deep south Texas. We might as well be a state of our own. We speak "Tex-Mex" and listen to Tejano music, which is a mix of Mexican, Texan, and German music. Our culture is spicy flavorful cuisine, and gulf coast living. We hunt our food, grind corn for tortillas, and make the best Margarita drinks. A huge majority of the local people are multilingual and our kitchens are feast overflowing with guests and food. We believe in family, faith, and freedom to succeed. We are on the US-Mexico border and along the Gulf of Mexico. We are something out of a western movie with cowboys and senoritas. We are the gorgeous and unique RIO GRANDE VALLEY of south Texas!

Wow! Beautiful skirt! I have 3 little girls that would LOVE to twirl in it!!!

OK, I have one silly fact about New Hampshire: The first potato planted in the United States was at Londonderry Common Field in 1719.

And I have one neat-o fact: The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord is a state-of-the-art planetarium dedicated to the memory of New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe, who died in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

And there you have it, from my little ol' state of New Hampshire! Pick me, pick me! :)

I currently live in Indiana, where our legislature enacted Sugar Cream as the state pie this year (I can't believe they even had time to worry about this.)

I'm originally from Nebraska.With no major league sports and no major in state college rivals, we are ALL about football. This season the Huskers are celebrating their NCAA record 300th consecutive sellout. (Notre Dame is next with 205.) When the football stadium is full it becomes the second largest city after Omaha, seating just over 85,000 fans.

- There is a crypt in Florida on which the epitaph reads: "I told you I was sick" (here's a picture: http://www.carlmcgregor.com/Key%20West/Images/Sick_Headstone_large.jpg)

- Once a year, thousands of Floridians stand at the state line and toss dead fish into Alabama. It's the annual Mullet Toss hosted by Flora-Bama Beach Bar in Pensacola. It's just "a silly excuse for a huge beach party."

- The Seven Mile Bridge, that crosses between Marathon and the Lower Keys, was built in 1982 – in pieces – then shipped to the Keys to be assembled. It is quite amazing to drive across it!

Congrats on the blue ribbon! I love the fabrics in the skirt. Did you use a charm pack?Had to come up with a new fact because Crystal had the teeth one before I made my post! hehe

Cajun men and women in my area (I live in Cut Off, LA) have nicknames(sometimes french words) for their body parts and almost exclusively use these nicknames instead of saying the actual word. I was going to say the nicknames, but I don't want to offend anyone.

Welldone on your ribbons and what a beatiful job on the skirt, which I would love to win for my 4yr old beautiful (of course) grand daughter..I am a Welsh woman living in Montana...go figure, I left dear old England and all its properness...and now I live in a red-neck state (which I love) There are more cattle than people in Montana and we have a saying here "if you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes and it will change" sometimes severly. We had 5 inches of snow last year June 10th!!

Well my home state fair is your home state fair. We did not go this year. I am so bummed! I would have gone just to see your skirt. :D My Grandparents moved to Towson in 1958. They have five children, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Guess how many times my Grandfather has gone to the fair . . . BIG FAT ZERO. He says his goal is to never go!!!! LOL Luckily the rest of our family does not feel quite the same.

When I was little my absolute favorite part of the fair was the bunny house. Even as an I adult I drag my husband into the bunny house. I can honestly say I would eat dirt than own a bunny but I love that house.

Am i too far away??... Canberra, the capital of Austalia, after a lengthy dispute over whether Sydney or Melbourne should be Australia's national capital, the final decision was to build a new capital between the two cities. Canberra became the capital of Australia in 1908.

Kansas is the wheat state and our state animal in the buffalo, which you hardly ever see anymore (except for a few pastures here and there.) My girls would love this skirt! Their names are Anna and Emilie and they are 4 and 2. Bless you.

The original red fabric used on the California state flag came from a pair of red long underwear. (The flag was raised in 1846 by a group of American settlers that overthrew the Mexican militia in Sonoma. The uprising came came to be known as the Bear Flag Revolt. )

WA - the Puyallup fair is one of the top 10 in the US. I grew up in Puyallup and when I was in school everyone in town got a full day off to go, as well as 1/2 days the rest of the week because so many high schoolers worked at the fair and not much got accomplished at school.

Wow, what a wonderful skirt - it would be perfect for my niece "Princess YA YA". Weird fact about California; Largest collection devoted to a single fruit is the Banana Museum in Hesperia, California. Erin

Boy, it would have taken you a long, long, long time to make that skirt if it wasn't for Elias Howe of Boston, MA who invented the first sewing machine in 1845. Where would we be without him???

And because we need our energy while we sew the yummy with a cup of tea Fig Newton cookie is named after Newton, Massachusetts and the official state dessert of Massachusetts is the Boston cream pie-which I've officially made once in my life and was not the easiest pie to make:)

In the great state of Maine -- VACATIONLAND -- It is illegal to stroll down the street playing a violin in the state capitol of Augusta. I work in the Court system and I have yet to see this crime ever charged. But it is still on the books!

In the great state of Maine -- VACATIONLAND -- It is illegal to stroll down the street playing a violin in the state capitol of Augusta. I work in the Court system and I have yet to see this crime ever charged. But it is still on the books!rteezgirl at roadrunner dot com

I Love the skirt it is really cute...I live in the Province of Nova Scotia "North of the Border" in Canada.Some great facts about Nova Scotia are:- We are the second smallest province of Canada.- We are one of the four founding provinces of Canada.- Both Cape Breton & Sable Island are part of Nova Scotia- Our Licence Plate state we are "Canada's Ocean Playground".

Delaware. Or Dela-where? as it's better known. Also, if you live below the "canal", it's known as "slower lower Delaware". No one is in a hurry to do much of anything. But I live in civilization. North of the canal in New Castle County. Home of the Dupont company and not much else!!

Nevda- In 1864 the longest Morse code telegram ever sent occured in Nevada , it was the state constitution being sent from Carson City to Washington D.C. *•In order to meet the deadline for statehood, the entire constitution of Nevada was sent to Washington by telegram at a cost of $3,400.*Boulder City is one of only two towns in Nevada where gambling is illegal , the other city being Panaca. *Construction workers on the Hoover Dam in 1933 were treated to a new invention , the Hard Hat. Which was specifically invented for the workers of Hoover Dam. * In a standard deck of cards the King of Hearts is the only King without a moustache.* In 1938 , saddled horses were banned from inside casinos. *The Cal-Neva Casino in Lake Tahoe is famous for several reasons. First , Frank Sinatra was once the owner and second , Cal-Neva is the only casino that you can stand in both Nevada and California.*•Once when Nevada Senator William Stewart asked to meet with President Lincoln, the president sent a note saying he would see him the next morning. Lincoln was assassinated that night, and the note probably contained Lincoln's last written words.*•Many of the horses of Virginia City sported multicolored polka dots. Chemicals from the mineral crushing mills where they worked caused the unusual decorations.*•Mark Twain offended a local newspaper writer, who challenged him to a duel. The challenger backed out, but not before Twain had been charged with breaking the law and had to flee from Virginia City on his way to fame elsewhere.*•Virginia City was named for James Fenimore, whose nickname was "Old Virginy." He celebrated too much one night, fell, and broke a bottle of whisky. Not wishing to waste the liquid, he called out, "I baptize thee Virginia Town," and the name stuck. Mary L.

Hi! What an adorable and creative skirt. My home state is the Golden State - California - maybe more likely Crazy California! Named by the Spanish after Califia. Death Valley, in southern Calif., is the lowest. hottest, driest point in the U.S. Our major rivers are Colorado river, Sacramento river, and San Joaquin river. Three famous Californians are Richard M. Nixon, Sally K. Ride (first American woman in space), and Ansel Adams. Fossil in CA is Sabre-tooth cat, Bird is Calif. Quail, Fish is Golden Trout, and Flower is Golden Poppy. Popular dance is Square Dance! Last but not least our capital city is Sacramento! -Rebecca

I was born, raised and still live in Texas. If you haven't noticed, Texans are proud of their state ;). Everyone (here at least) says everything's bigger in Texas. Our state fair mascot is Big Tex, a 52 foot papier mache man who wears a cowboy hat, jeans and boots. Corney Dogs were invented at the Texas state fair in 1942. We are the largest state in the contiguous 48 states and the 2nd largest of all states BUT if Alaskza was cut in half then we would be the 3rd largest state, it is that much bigger.

Oh, yes, school children do learn The stars at night are big and bright (clap, clap, clap, clap)deep in the heart of Texas (much to the amusment of some college friends I had).

Interstate 10 runs from Jacksonville, FL to Santa Monica, CA and crosses through the middle of Texas. It is further from Beaumont, TX (Eastern border of TX) to El Paso, TX (Western border ot TX) than it is from Beaumont to Jacksonville, FL or from El Paso to Santa Monica, CA.

And at 634 square miles, the City of Houston could contain the cities of New York, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis and Miami.

Just a little south of you- I live in Virginia! Virginia is home to America's first colonial settlement- did you know that Virginia peanuts are the most flavorful in the nation? Virginia is also becoming known for its wines- (no, not whining!).